Ardbeg, Dolce
This expression brings a slice of dolce vita (sweet life) to the salty shores of Islay. Ardbeg is already known for its sweet-and-smoky character. This dials up the sweetness by pairing spirit aged in Marsala casks with traditional ex-bourbon-aged spirit. Marsala, hailing from Sicily, is known as one of Italy's sweetest fortified wines. Bottled as a limited edition for Islay's annual music and malts festival (Feis Isle) in 2026, it is only available to Arbeg Committee members and those attending the distillery during the festival.
Nose
Orange zest, coastal smoke, coastal salinity
Palate
Dried apricots, lemon zest, salted vanilla fudge
Finish
Oak spice, maritime notes
Characteristically Ardbeg on the nose with coastal salinity and faint smoke mixed with oranges and lemons. Give it time, and sweeter notes begin to emerge: caramelized nuts, tinned peaches, and creamy vanilla. It's a similar story on the palate: classic Ardbeg at the top with smoke and salinity mixed with a tart sweetness. I get dried apricots and lemon zest with a backdrop of salted fudge. There's a youthful spice to it, yet the sweetness never fades. It's a constant in the background. The Marsala cask appears to have added body to an otherwise youthful liquid, in a good way. You have the feeling it would be noticeably thin without it. Right at the back, there's a subtle oak spice, indicating some older, darker liquid in the mix. Plenty of complexity for a non-age statement Scotch whisky.
A highly enjoyable expression from Ardbeg. The addition of Marsala casks has brought richness, sweetness and an abundance of nutty goodness to an already outstanding peated whisky. The coastal notes are all there, alongside the classic cracked black pepper and lemon zest, which Ardbeg is famed for. A real treat.
